Obrázky na stránke
PDF
ePub

Gregorium Papam XII. in ambafciata tranfmiffus, in civitate Senenfi per manus ejufdem Papæ in Menevenfem Epifcopum confecratus eft. Hic etiam Henricus anno fecundo Henrici V. regis in hac fancta ecclefia in Archiepifcopum poftulatus, et a Joanne Papa XXIII. ad eandem tranflatus eft: Qui obiit anno domini MCCCCXLIII. menfis Aprilis xii.

reached full maturity, before they were
brought into ufe; fo that he feldom fail-
ed in his negociations. His ability in
executing feveral important commif-
fions gained him the approbation of his
country, and the favour of his fovereign.
His erudition appears to have been ex-
tenfive, his difcernment clear, his judge-
ment folid, and his manners polite.
As an ecclefiaftic, he was pious, and
to the church fincerely attached. He
maintained the catholic doctrines with

Cœtus fan&torum concorditer ifte precetur
Ut Deus ipforum meritis fibi propitietur.
Round the verge, at the bottom of a zeal the moft confcientious. He knew

the monument, is written,

Quifquis eris, qui tranfieris, rogo memor eris, Tu quod eris mihi confimilis qui poft morieris, Omnibus horribilis, pulvis, vermis, caro vilis. Such is the account which various authors have delivered to pofterity, of Archbishop Chichelè. In early life, his acquirements were great, and they

the danger of innovation, yet was never actuated by a spirit of perfecution.

As a benefactor he was liberal; and, to fum up his character without partiality, he poffeffed excellent natural abilities, liberal accomplishments, strict piety and integrity, and a heart charitable and benevolent.

T. T.

WE

FOR THE LONDON MAGAZINE.

E are forry to inform the public, that the ingenious correfpondent, who DRIACK, has clofed his defign in the following paper. But though we are no longer to be favoured with his communications under this title, we hope that we shall not be altogether deprived of his correfpondence.

THE

HYPOCHONDRIACK. No. LXX.

Ιθι δη περαινε ο

ARISTOPHANES. "Come, now, conclude."

To retire in proper timene
ftate of exertion is one of the
moft nice and difficult trials of human
prudence and refolution. Every man
of any claffical education recollects
the well known allufion to a horfe
growing aged, who ought no longer
to be pushed on to the race left he
fhould be left behind breathlefs and
contemptible. But the misfortune is,
that felf-love deceives us exceedingly
in the estimation of our mental abilities,
fo that we cannot be eafily perfuaded
that they are in any degree decayed.
Le Sage in his Gil Blas has given a juft
and diverting inftance of this, in the
old canon who was implacably offended
at having a delicate hint fuggefted to
him that he did not write fo well as he
had done in the vigour of life.

My readers are now to be informed that this is the laft effay of THE Hy

which I have published monthly for almost fix years, and I flatter myself that my labours under that title fhall not ceafe without fome kindly fentiments of approbation in the breasts of thofe to whom they have afforded occafional entertainment.

It has been generaily obferved that we are forry to part with one whom we have long known, provided he is not abfolutely difagreeable to us. Upon this obfervation I found my hopes of being for a moment regretted by my readers; for a writer, though unknown, is always perfonified with fuf. ficient diftinétnefs by the imagination, fo as to be the object of affection of one kind or other. I doubt if a writer has any fuch feeling towards those by whom he has been long known, but of whom he has no knowledge. His ima

R 2

gin

gination does not fettle upon any individuals of the number: but he has merely an idea of many in the abstract, which, although it may expand his pride or his ambition, cannot touch his heart. I, however, am confcious of a certain tenderness, while I am clofing the scene of a fpecies of literary exiftence, in which Town I have experienced fometimes anxiety, and fometimes felf. complacency. This tendernefs, it is plain from what I have faid, is referable fimply to my own mind. Yet it is an interefting fancy that there may be fome of my readers fo habituated to fympathize with the foul of the HYPOCHONDRIACK, that the inftant of our being perfonally known to each other the would be a cordial friend

ship between us.

But, there must not be too pofitive expectations entertained of finding a fimilarity between an author's converfation and his writings. An author may have exhaufted his mind into his works, fo that nothing of any value remains for him to communicate. He may be able to collect and quicken his ideas in his closet, and have them diffipated, and as it were annihilated for a time, when in company. He may be an impoftor, fo as to have been affuming the appearance of virtuous or amiable qualities, which he no more poffetles, than a player does many of the characters which he reprefents upon the flage with a vivacity of deception. For mimickry is indeed profound and univerfal, extending not only to manner, but to fentiment, and every part of mind, as is proved by the works of good dramatic writers, and I am forry to add by the harangues of orators in different departments who ought to be in earnest. Indeed, there is nothing more delufive than the fuppofed character of an author, from reading his compofitions. There may be fine thoughts on the furface of a coarfe mind, as beautiful flowers are found growing upon rocks, upon bogs, nay upon dunghills. Beides the connection between authors and their works is very different in different perfons. Their works may be compared to their glothes. Some wear them tight and

ftiff, fome quite eafy; and to fome their works are like robes, which they put on only upon folemn occafions, and never wear in their common courfe of life. Of thefe varieties I have feen many examples, and could name feveral now alive, were it proper fo to do it.

For myfelf, I cannot perfectly judge of my manner, which I have no doubt muft vary with the fluctuation of my fpirits. Nor can I boaft that my practice is uniformly what it fhould be. But I am abfolutely certain that in these papers my principles are moft fincerely expreffed. I can truly fay in the words of Pope,

"I love to pour out all myself as plain, "As downright Shippen, or as old Montaigne."

Perhaps, indeed, I have poured out myfelf with more freedom than pru dence will approve, and I am aware of being too much an egotist. But I truft that my readers will be generous enough not to take advantage of my openness and confidence, but rather treat me with a liberal indulgence.

Yet let it not be underflood that I fupplicate favour with an abject timidity. For I am not afraid of a fair trial by impartial judges. This comfort I have, that my intentions have all along been good, and that I cannot be condemned for having failed in my undertaking; because I undertook nothing determi, nate, but only to give a series of essays, which I have accordingly done. I perceive they are not fo lively as I expected they would be. But they are more learned. And I beg I may not be charged with exceffive arrogance, when I venture to fay that they contain a confiderable portion of original thinking. Be what they may, I thould not have written them had I not been urged on by the obligation of a monthly tak which I impofed upon myself. For except the first number, and the four which I mention as written feveral years ago, all of them were compofed while the hour of publication was fo near, that I had juft time enough to do them with rapid agitation. Sometimes I had a few notes for a fubject; fometimes not; and often have I wondered when I found my pages filled. Hurry bas been upon many occafions pleaded as an

[blocks in formation]

excufe for the imperfections of a writer. The Hypochondriack has, befides, to plead what is peculiar to his own caft of mind, a hurry of fpirits.

There is a pleasure, when one is indolent, to think that a taik, to the performance of which one has been again and again fubjected, and had fome difficulty to make it out, is no longer to be required. But this pleasure, or rather comfort, does not laft. For we foon feel a degree of uneafy languor, not merely in being without a stated exercife, but in being void of the ufual consciousnefs of its regular returns, by which the mind has been agreeably braced.

. A conclufion, however, fhould be put to a periodical paper, before its numbers have encreafed fo much as to make it heavy and difgufting were it even of excellent compofition, and this confideration is more neceffary when it is entirely the work of one perfon, which in my first number I declared the Hypochondriack fhould be. I have refolved to end with number feventieth, from perhaps a whimfical regard to a number by which feveral interefting particulars are marked, the moft interefting of which is the folemn reflection that" the days of our years are three fcore years and ten." To chufe one number rather than another, where all numbers are rationally indifferent, there must be a motive, however flight. Such is my motive for fixing on Number Seventieth. It may be faid, I need not to have told it.

SIR,

Let me then have done, and bid my readers farewell with a good grace, inftead of lingering on the verge of my departure. I know there is fometimes a good deal of hefitation in leaving a room filled with company whom we refpect, and a man often fits long, froin irrefolution to rife and make a handfome bow, while retreating, which is one of the most exquifite leffons of the Marseilles of every age. But this need not difconcert us who are not of great confequence, and therefore not much the object of attention. But a certain degree of prefence of mind is required to be convinced that one is not of great confequence, the idea of which produces that bafhfulness which the French very well exprefs by the phrafe mauvaife honte. Frequently has it happened that when a man has thought every body was gazing upon him, and has flyly ftolen a look, he has perceived not an eye directed his way. The mode of publication in which THE HYPOCHONDRIACK hath as yet appeared prevents him from knowing what has been the opinion which his readers have formed of his effays. He has only to add with his laft breath in this character, that he knows he shall view thefe papers with relish or diffatisfaction, in different ftates of his mind. But, at all times he fhall rejoice, if he is affured that his writings have in any degree contributed to the relief of the unhap

py.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LONDON MAGAZINE, ATHEISM.

ON

ON reading over the fenfible remarks of B. S. in your Magazine for June, on the confequences of Mr. Hammon's Vindication of Atheism (a performance which I have not feen, nor have the leaft defire to perufe) I was led to think that it feems high time for men to drop all difputation about God; fince, after fo many ages of deep enquiry, there are ftill to be found fuch as doubt of his exiftence, and who cannot be convinced of their error

by the greatest reafoners amongst the many millions who appear to have the fulleft belief of fuch exiftence. This is very ftrange! but at the fame time it affords ftrong proof of the inability of man either to prove or deny the matter; for I conclude that even Mr. Hammon has been no more able to prove the non-existence of the Deity than he would be able to prove the nonexiftence of himself.

Now, I am apt to think that reafon is

ΠΟ

no better qualified to maintain the other fide of the argument; fince it is univerfally agreed that God must be not only the caufe but the firft caufe of all things: and, if this be allowed, it must be in open defiance of all the reason of mankind, which never was, nor ever will be able to conceive an effect to fubfift without a caufe; and therefore can never cease to afk what was the cause of this firft caufe*? Thus reafon, inftead of proving, muft forever be calling in question the existence of God. If it should here be asked, how then is it, that men do come to acknowledge the Deity? I anfwer: not by having their reafon convinced, but by their turning from it to the living fenfibility of God's prefence in their fouls, which, is, as B. S. remarks, confcience; and this is called belief of faith.-Terms which evidently imply fomething contrary to rational conception.

tional comprehenfion of the great original and fountain of light.

[ocr errors]

The angels who kept their ftation (if Mr. Hammon can admit fuch beings) are doubtlefs glorious manifeftations in themselves, and in their king. dom, of the great unfearchable God; but may well be fuppofed to have no better ability of their own to fathom his immenfity, than is that of the rational power in man. Yet, from fome accounts (to which reafon may also have its objections) it appears that angels had a power to bring themselves into great mifery by meddling too boldly with the things of God.

From what has been faid, it follows, that, if believers wish to filence Atheists, they must not think to do it by reafoning with them; but by fhewing that they themselves are not Atheists, or without God. And this cannot be done by empty forms or diftinctions of worship; nor in any other manner than by fuffering God to manifest himself through them in the love, truth, and righteoufnefs of their lives and converfation; whereby all men fhall be forced to fee and acknowledge that "God is in them of a truth."

I fhall end thefe loofe obfervations with a caution to Mr. Hammon, very happily expreffed by the poet in the following lines:

It is to this confcience or faith that all revelation both inward and outward is addreffed; because it is a fmall fpark of the divine nature ftill remaining in man, not totally extinguished by the fall, and confequently the only faculty by which he can know any thing of God; who can never be farther or otherwife known to any of his creatures, than fo far, or in fuch manner, as he ftands manifefted to them by a birth of his own divine nature in them; like as no man can fee the light of this world in any other degree than as the fame is enkindled, and rifes up in his own eyes. And yet the man, though in the fulleft poffeffion of the bleffing of fight, ftands as remote as one born blind from any felf knowledge or raLet it be obferved, that the feeming abfurdity of this expreffion confifts only in the letter, not in the fenfe. The grain fown in the ground is as much the cause of the enfuing produce, as it was the effect of the feed from which it sprang.

"Query was made, what did Jehovah do,
Before the world its firft foundation knew?
The answer was, he made a Hell for such
As were too curious and would know too much‡.”
I am, Sir,

Your humble fervant,
CREDULOUS.

July 17, 1783.

+"Compel them to come in." Luke, c. xiv. v. 23. Perhaps it might not be wholly unprofitable to Dr. Priestley, if, in the midft of fome of his high fpeculations, he were to confider a little of the deep meaning contained in thofe lines.

ACCOUNT OF COLONEL DEVEAUX. THE HE gallant and well-concerted enterprize of Colonel Deveaux, against the Spaniards at New-Providence, is perhaps without a parallel in the modern hiftory of war. The whole force employed were a few privateers,

whofe crews did not exceed 200 feamen, 65 irregulars, and 100 Bahama fifhermen. Such was the armament, under the command of a young man, barely 25 years old, and who had not been bred in any regular military

fchool,

fchool, that invaded New-Providence, furprized the Spanish armed veffels, invetted a fort defended by feventy pieces of cannon, and after a few days fiege compelled the garrifon, confifting of more than five hundred Spanish regulars, to furrender. Such a groupe of fingular circumftances at once challenge our wonder and applause, and excite a curiofity to know fomething more about the commander of the expedition. We are happy in having it in our power to lay before our readers the following particulars from good authority:

Colonel Deveaux is a native of South Carolina. His ancestors were Hugonots, whom the revocation of the Edict of Nantz compelled to leave their native country. With many more perfons of the fame defcription, they fought an afylum in the wilds of South Carolina. It is a little fingular, that, from two of the defcendants of these perfecuted people, the Houfe of Bourbon have experienced fevere and mortifying ftrokes. France, from Mr. Duprè, in the Eaft-Indies, in the war before laft, and Spain, from Colonel Deveaux in the late one. In 1779 when General Prevoft made a fudden eruption into Carolina, Mr. Andrew Deveaux and his fon, our gallant youth, joined the royal army,and, in every fubfequent ftage of the late unhappy conteft, uniformly and fteadily adhered to the caufe of Britain; young Deveaux obtained a fubaltern commiffion in a Provincial regiment, and foon arrived at the rank of captain. In 1780, when South Carolina was recovered, his remarkable activity and zeal recommended him to the

DURING

officers commanding the King's forces in that province. He was almost conftantly on fervice, and always difplayed an intrepidity and alertnefs rarely exceeded. Some time before CharlesTown was abandoned by our troops, he was raised to the rank of Major. He accompanied that part of the troops that went to St. Auguftine. All further hoftilities against the rebels being interdicted by the refolution of the House of Commons, Deveaux turned his attention towards the Spanish fettlements in Weft-Florida, and the Bahamas. The little remains of his fshattered fortune, and all that he could raise on his credit were embarked in this expedition, in which he did not receive any affiftance or even countenance from the civil or military officers in Eaft-Florida. He had once determined to go against Pensacola, in the capture of which from us, the French and Spaniards, two years before, employed eleven fail of the line, a number of frigates and gallies, and upwards of 10,000 land forces. The Spanish garrifon had fuffered much from fickness, and the continual alarms they were under from the neighbouring Indians. Providence being much nearer, induced him to direct his courfe thither, and fuccefs rewarded his undertaking.

It is to be regretted that the furrender was made a few days after the time appointed by the Preliminary Articles for the ceffation of hoftilities in thefe parts. This country, however, will not allow Deveaux to be ruined by his zeal and unwearied attachment to her intereft.

ANECDOTE.

URING Queen Elizabeth's refidence at Windfor, a carter was fent for to remove part of her Majefty's wardrobe: he accordingly attended with his cart, but was told to come another time; he attended a fecond time to as little purpofe as before, being again put off to a third period. Having driven his cart to the caftle for the third time, he was informed by

the officers, that her Majefty had determined the remove fhould not take

place: at which the carter, clapping his hand on his thigh, faid, " Now I fee that the Queen is a woman as well as my wife!" Being overheard by her Majefty, fhe exclaimed, "What a villain is this!" and fo fent him three an gels to ftop his mouth.

POETRY.

« PredošláPokračovať »